Wednesday, July 16, 2008

(re)convince me

I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart. ~ Anne Frank

Generally I feel that that statement is accurate. But I'm having trouble with it now.
Yesterday on the bus there was a man who was talking (nonstop) to his companion (or perhaps the guy was a complete stranger, who knows) about how horrible women that don't listen (and obey) men are. How if you want to find a "good" woman, you have to "get an Asian woman" who has "been raised right".

I bristled, but, of course, did nothing - said nothing - other than attempt to tune him out.

Also yesterday, I witnessed a father yelling and berating his young son while in line at a fast food restaurant. To the point where the clerk behind the counter was trying to diffuse the situation. Unsuccessfully, it turned out, because the man obviously didn't care about anything other than belittling the child in his care.

I know that these are just two extremely minor occurrences of negativity in a city of a million plus people. And the five - thirty minutes of those people's lives that interlapped with mine are not necessarily a fair judgment of who they are completely.
But still. People are good, overall, right?
Or, put another way - tell me something life-affirming and/or good and/or funny to help balance things out. Please.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I suggest watching Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog as many times as it takes. That should do the trick, but I can also have Sam call you tomorrow. He is hilarious and good and totally life-affirming.

Amanda said...

My cousin just sent me an email thanking me for being a big-sister figure in her life.

Coming at a time when I was despairing of humanity, too, it was exactly what I needed.

Kirk said...

Remember your deep dark secret post? That was an amazingly brave thing to put out there, and I would imagine the response to it was gratifying. Also, you've helped add three good things to the world (Saren-Harper-Irina).

-Kirk

Anonymous said...

Most people are good. However, it sounds to me that you just had the misfortune to encounter two dick-heads in the same afternoon.

Now granted, the father might have just been frustrated, but still someone who wouldn't stop to think about how they were speaking to a child especially in public is probably prone to doing it even worse in private. And any guy who wants a woman who's been "raised right" has a very skewed view of the world and probably has misogynistic tendencies.

I say this only because my father in law is one of those types of guys and in the 20 years I've known him, I've been unable to do or say anything to him to change his very narrow point of view. And unfortunately, here in his 80s, his attitudes have made him a lonely and miserable old man.

Gee P@, thanks for bringing up something that made me want to rant.

Now go hug your children, your lovely wife and call Sam on the phone and know that most people are fair minded and good.